EDITOR: Kate Weber was once a soldier. A raped soldier. Now she is a warrior, fighting for the rights and safety of women in our Armed Forces ("RP woman battles military sex crimes," Nov. 18). My perception of Native American warriors was that they risked their lives to protect the women and children. We now have a military that rapes its own people (26,000 last year). If this isn't cause for self-reflection, I don't know what is.

BRIAN NARELLE

Rohnert Park

Training for cops

EDITOR: My sympathies go out to the Lopez and Gelhaus families. The shooting of Andy Lopez is tragic. I wonder how much training Deputy Erick Gelhaus had regarding juveniles prior to this event. On average, officers in California get three hours of education in dealing with kids. If the deputies had more training with kids, would Andy still be alive?

One of the most difficult groups to deal with is teenagers. They are defiant and disrespectful to officers. They are the least trusting as well. Our community has a program that teaches future officers, including probation and corrections officers, how to deal with juveniles. "Children in the Justice System" at Santa Rosa Junior College is the only program of its kind on a community college level in the nation. How do we get officers to have more training with juveniles? This program would be a good start.

Would we be having this conversation if Gelhaus had more training with kids? In the Lopez case, we will never know. If an officer had 20-plus hours of education, would it have changed the outcome? I don't know, but I am certain that there is no such thing as too much training.

EDITOR: The Farm Bill's potential impact on Proposition 2 is a classic states vs. federal government issue existing since the U.S. Constitution was written and approved more than 200 years ago. When states want to assert their power over the federal government, they claim the 10th Amendment, which gives states those rights not given to the federal government.

But wait. California regularly walks on rights expressly given to the federal government. This includes interstate commerce, which means products shipped into California from other states or countries. Or immigration, which is the sole domain of the federal government. Yet we see laws passed in California for the benefit of illegal immigrants.

Do not forget that the Southern states made the same 10th Amendment claim with the Jim Crow laws to repress blacks living and working in these states. It took federal laws to strike down Jim Crow, and they enforced them in the federal courts.

Should Congress overrule California on this food safety issue, then consumers will vote with their money to choose food products. Let the market rule in California.

EDITOR: A person who breaks a window screen while attempting to enter a lady's boudoir, while wearing only undershorts and socks, commits a felonious act, not just a performance of peeking.

This type of behavior comprises a lack of control and immaturity on the part of the doer.

Ten months prior to the alleged burglary, Supervisor Efren Carrillo — a black belt in taekwondo — pummeled a man on the sidewalks of San Diego. That type of wrongful act constitutes a felony.

Charges were dropped. Was it the good old boy connection?

Carrillo's wanton behavior is unpredictable and cannot be blamed on booze alone.

How many more court delays will ensue before a proper sentence is served?

A. BARCLAY NALLEY

Healdsburg

Military rape

EDITOR: Kate Weber was once a soldier. A raped soldier. Now she is a warrior, fighting for the rights and safety of women in our Armed Forces ("RP woman battles military sex crimes," Nov. 18). My perception of Native American warriors was that they risked their lives to protect the women and children. We now have a military that rapes its own people (26,000 last year). If this isn't cause for self-reflection, I don't know what is.

BRIAN NARELLE

Rohnert Park

Training for cops

EDITOR: My sympathies go out to the Lopez and Gelhaus families. The shooting of Andy Lopez is tragic. I wonder how much training Deputy Erick Gelhaus had regarding juveniles prior to this event. On average, officers in California get three hours of education in dealing with kids. If the deputies had more training with kids, would Andy still be alive?

One of the most difficult groups to deal with is teenagers. They are defiant and disrespectful to officers. They are the least trusting as well. Our community has a program that teaches future officers, including probation and corrections officers, how to deal with juveniles. "Children in the Justice System" at Santa Rosa Junior College is the only program of its kind on a community college level in the nation. How do we get officers to have more training with juveniles? This program would be a good start.

Would we be having this conversation if Gelhaus had more training with kids? In the Lopez case, we will never know. If an officer had 20-plus hours of education, would it have changed the outcome? I don't know, but I am certain that there is no such thing as too much training.

SUZANNE LEIKER SCHLICK

Santa Rosa

State vs. feds

EDITOR: The Farm Bill's potential impact on Proposition 2 is a classic states vs. federal government issue existing since the U.S. Constitution was written and approved more than 200 years ago. When states want to assert their power over the federal government, they claim the 10th Amendment, which gives states those rights not given to the federal government.

But wait. California regularly walks on rights expressly given to the federal government. This includes interstate commerce, which means products shipped into California from other states or countries. Or immigration, which is the sole domain of the federal government. Yet we see laws passed in California for the benefit of illegal immigrants.

Do not forget that the Southern states made the same 10th Amendment claim with the Jim Crow laws to repress blacks living and working in these states. It took federal laws to strike down Jim Crow, and they enforced them in the federal courts.

Should Congress overrule California on this food safety issue, then consumers will vote with their money to choose food products. Let the market rule in California.